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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23943049">Grace and Grief</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightkings/pseuds/brightkings'>brightkings</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Gen, Spoilers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:23:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>342</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23943049</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightkings/pseuds/brightkings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason tried to cope with his best friend’s death.<br/>But he can’t, he really, honestly can’t.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jason Grace &amp; Leo Valdez, Jason Grace &amp; Piper McLean</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Grace and Grief</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>All characters are Rick Riordan’s, that brilliant, heartless troll.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The one who reads this has heard of the night, haven't they? Within their first week, most, if not all new campers heard the tall tales told and the songs sung from their older vaguely related family. </p>
<p>The night of the Second Giant War. The night where gods and their offspring fought together, Roman and Greek half-bloods and deities undivided against one of the most powerful forces in the entire universe: Gaia, Earth herself.</p>
<p>Jason cried that night.</p>
<p>Most considered Jason Grace to be a strong type. After all, he was the son of Zeus. It was his birthright to be such. Though he'd subverted most expectations pertaining to that birthright, strong never left his summary in the lyrics belted around the campfire. </p>
<p>Those in Camp Jupiter would say it, after seeing how much he'd endured.</p>
<p>Jason heard their whispers in the quiet nights, the ones when he didn't sleep, meaning most nights.</p>
<p>He ignored them, mostly.</p>
<p>They didn't matter, mostly.</p>
<p>His father would say it, knowing how much his son had been put through.</p>
<p>Most of the trials Jason had been put through were because of him, but the Great God of All Gods and Unofficial Divinity of Infidelity usually ignored that part.</p>
<p>Reyna would say it, shaking his hand after yet another victory during the war games.</p>
<p>Jason wasn't one to ignore one of his closest friends.</p>
<p>When she said it, he could almost believe her.</p>
<p>Piper would say it, uttered under her breath during a sweet kiss on the roof of one building or another.</p>
<p>Jason couldn't ignore her.</p>
<p>When she said it, he believed her.</p>
<p>For a second or two, but he still believed. Sort of.</p>
<p>Leo would say it, sometimes shouted off the roof of an abandoned factory, sometimes as a joke when Jason commented on his best friend's literal stick of a body, always accompanied by a goofy grin.</p>
<p>It was impossible for Jason to ignore him.</p>
<p>He mattered, incredibly so.</p>
<p>Jason just wished, wished with all his heart he'd made that known before Leo's death.</p>
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